Apparatus fob imperegnatiltg- wood



J. H. PARSONS.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING W000.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4. I918.

Patented Oct. 2E, 1919.

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511400 m 4501 rib/72717 j'bnsoms Patentnd Oct. 21, 1919.,

J. H. PARSONS.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WOOD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4, 1918.

I. l l I L J. H. PARSONS.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING'WOOD.

APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 4, ms

1 3159 531, Patented Oct. 21,1919.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 J H. PARSONS.

APPARATUS roe IMPREGNAIING WOOD.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 4 I918 1 1 5311 0 Patented Oct. 21, 1919.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

an no n (02 Witness e s niran i JOHN H. PARSONS, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM H. SAVERY, 0F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.

APPARATUS FOR IMPREGNATING WOOD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Pet 21, 1919.

Application filed March a, 1918. Serial No. 220,234.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN H. PARSONS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Vilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Apparatus forlmpregnating Wood, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an apparatus for impregnating wood, such as railway ties or logs, with creosote or other preservative substances, one object of the invention being to provide an apparatus for treating ties or logs under high pressure so as to thoroughly impregnate the wood without injury to the fiber thereof, and at the same time displace from the wood all air, moisture, sap, etc., so that the pores of the wood will be completely filled by the preservative fluid.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which may be mounted upon a traveling vehicle, such as a railway car, so as to be readily transportable from place to place for use, whereby at convenient points in a railway system, for instance, logs or ties may be conveniently treated at desired intervals, thus securing economy by treating the material at the point of use or a main shipping point and without the several expenses attendant upon first shipping a the ties or logs to a treating plant and thereafter shipping the same to distributing points.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which admits of the ready and convenient stacking and handling of the ties or logs both prior and subsequent to treatment, and the drainage off and recovery from the impregnating cylinders of the apparatus and the treated logs or ties of all excess fluid remaining after treatment, so that the fluid may be recovered for further use and so that all sap or resinous matter extracted from the wood and contained therein .may be readily and conveniently separated therefrom.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus which is simple of construction, reliable and eflicient in action, which embodies any convenient number of impregnating devices, and which includes means for supplying the preservative fluid to the impregnating devices from a common source of supply and governing the flow of the fluid'to the impregnating devices as occasion may require in the impregnating oporation.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arran 'ement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Flgure 1 is a side elevation of an impreghating plant embodying my invention, showmg a pair of impregnating devices mounted upon a platform car, a portion of the car and one of the impregnating devices being broken away. v

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through one end of the car platform and a portion of one of the impregnating cyliners.

Fig. 4: is a vertical transverse section on the line 44. of Fig. '2.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal longitudinal section taken through one of the impregnating cylinders.

Fig. 6 is a detail view, partly in section, showing a portion of the piping used in the system.

. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the storage or supply tank and parts of the piping associated therewith.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates a portion of the frame structure, such as the side sills or beams, of'a railway car of the platform type, the platform 2 being suitably mounted upon the frame structure. The car may be provided with wheeled trucks of any suitable type in common use, 3 designating in the present instance wheels at each end of the car arranged to run upon the track rails 4;. The car may be equipped at each end with a coupler 5 for connection with a 1000- motive or other cars of a train in the usual manner.

Mounted upon the car platform2 are one.

or more impregnating devices, two of such devices being shown in the present instance,

generally designated 6 and 7, respectively.

These 1mpregnating devices, of which any convenient number may be employed, are

shown in the present instance as mountedupon suitable supports 8 adgacent to the opposite ends of the car, and on oppositesides of a storage or supply tank 9 and a suitable pump 10, said pump being driven by any preferred type of gearing from a motor 11.

Each impregnating device 6 is generally of the construction shown in my prior application for patent filed November 11, 1916, Serial No. 130,725, and comprises a cylinder or casing 12 designed to receive the log or tie 13 which is to be treated, which log or tie is disposed to bear at its outer end against a fixed abutment 14 and at its inner end against a movable abutment or piston 15. The fixed abutment 1a is slidably mounted in a doorway or chamber 16 formed in the outer face of a head ring 17, riveted or otherwise suitably fastened to the outer or rear end of the cylinder, said doorway or chamber being closed at its outer side by a removable head 18 secured in position by bolts or other suitable fastenings 19. The head 18 is provided with an opening 20 for the insertion and removal of the log or tie 13, which opening is closed against the outward movement of the log or tie therethrough by the abutment 14 when said abutment is in operative position. .The abutment 1% is formed with a tapering passage 21 extending entirely therethrough and communicating with the opening 20 when a said abutment is in operative position, said passage 21 being of frusto-conical, frustopyramidal, square, round or other suitable form conforming to the cross sectional shape of the tie or. log 13. The inner portion of said passage 21 provides a socket 22 to receive the adjacent end of the log or tie, and is formed with a V-shaped shoulder 23 against which the end of the log or tie abuts, this shoulder serves as a sealing rib which is forced into the grain of the Wood, to prevent the escape of the preservative fluid around the end of the tie and through the passage, and also to permit of the ready release of the tie from the abutment 14 after being creosoted or otherwise treated. The abutment 1 1, which also serves as a closure or door for the doorway or passage at the front end of the cylinder, is adapted to be moved in the chamber 16 into and out of alinement with the cylinder and doorway, to permit of the insertion of the green tie or log treatment. To this end' the abutment 14: is connected by a stem 2st passing outward through a stufiing box 25 with a lever or other operating means 26, whereby said abutment may be shifted into and out of operative position.

, The movable abutment or piston 15 is free from connection with any mechanical operating means in order that it may be moved back and forth within the cylinder under opposing fluid pressures and gravity. The forward end of this floating piston or movfor treatment and its discharge after.

able abutment is provided with a socket 27 corresponding in shape to the passage 21 in the abutment 1 1 and also provided with an abutment shoulder 28, of V-form, to sink into thewood at the adjacent end of the tie and form a fluid-tight connection between the tie and piston. The rear portion of the socket 27 provides a fluid circulating and pressure pocket or cavity 29 in rear of the engaged inner end of the tie, and the socket as a whole is formed in a reduced portion 30 of the piston which is of less diameter than the body of the piston and the cylinder, so as to allow of the circulation of the fluid therearound, ports or passages 31 being formed in the walls of the socket to connect said pocket or cavity with the interior of the cylinder between the abutments, whereby the preservative fluid may be brought into contact with the clamped inner end of'the tie. The piston 15 is movable back and forth within the rear end ofthe cylinder to clamp or release the tie, and may, therefore, be forced forward under fluid pressure to engage the inner end of the tie and clamp the outer end thereof within the socket or abutment 14, or forced backwardly into the cylinder to release the tie so that the abutment 1 1 may be retracted to permit removal of the treated tie through the doorway and opening 20.

When the piston is forced forward to the position shown in Fig. 5 to engage and insert as shown, said cylinder is preferably arranged in an inclined position with its outer end at a slightly higher elevation than its inner end, in order to provide for the ready drainage off of the fluid after treatment as well as to secure the aid of gravity in securing the backward or retractive movement of the piston 15. In mounting the two cylinders '6 and 7 upon the car platform 2, the outer ends of saidv cylinders are preferably arranged to face the respective ends of the car, for greater convenience in disposing the storage reservoir 9 and pump 10 for mutual cooperation therewith, as well as forgreater convenience in handling the green and treated ties in the operation of either one of either cylinder or both cylinders simultaneously.

A delivery pipe 34 is provided in connection with each cylinder for supplying the preservative fluid under pressure thereto, and the opposite ends of this pipe com municate with the respective chambers 32 and 33, while the intermediate portion of said pipe communicates with a supply pipe 35, and is provided on opposite sides of its point of connection with said pipe 35 with controlling valves 36 and 37 for governing the supply and exhaust of the fluid to and from the said chambers and The pipe 35, is connected by branches 38 and 39 in the manner stated to the pipes 34 of the two cylinders 6 and 7, and is provided between said branches with a. controlling valve 40, whereby the flow of the preservative fluid to the cylinder 6 may be controlled or cut off independently of the flow of the fluid to the cylinder 7.

The pipe 35 is connected with a discharge pipe 41 leading from the outlet of the pump 10, and connected with the inlet of said pump is a suction pipe 42 leading from the storage tank 9. The two pipes 41 and 42 are in communication with an ordinary or preferred type of check-valved air dome or pressure regulator 43, such as is commonly employed in fluid pressure pumps, for securing an even and regular flow of the fluid and preventing pulsations, so that when the pump is in action a regular and even flow of the fluid to the cylinder or cylinders may be secured, it being understood that by closing the valve 40 the flow of fluid to the cylinder 6 may be controlled or out off independently of the supply to the cylinder 7, so that either one or both of the impregnating devices may be employed as occasion requires.

A return pipe 44 communicates with the,

lower portion of the tank 9 and is connected bybranches 45 and 46 with the pipe 35 on opposite sides of the valve35, so that, by properly controlling the valves 36 and 37, the fluid may be allowed to escape from the chambers 32 and 33 of either cylinder and turned back into the tank 9 for future use or to yary the pressures within the chambers and 33 of each cylinder as required in the impregnating operation. Disposed in the pipe 35 at its point of connection with the pipe 46 and between the valve 40 and pipe 41, is a pressure controlled valve 47 carried b-ya sliding stem 48 coupled to one end of a pivoted lever 49 upon which is adjustably mounted a weight 50. This valve is normally held closed by the action of the weight to cut off communication between the pipes 35 and 46, so that under normal conditions the fluid may flow from the pump to the impregnating cylinders, but said valve is adapted to be forced open by the pressure of the fluid, for the flow of fluid between the pipes 35 and 46, when such pressure is increased to a predetermined degree above normal. Hence'by closing the valve 40 the flow of fluid to the cylinder 6- may be cut ofl, to allow said cylinder to be emptied of its contents, at the close of each impregnating operation, or cleaned, repaired, refilled, or without the necessity of stopping the operation of the pump, the fluid in such action forcing the valve 47 open and flowing through the pipes 46 and 44 back to the tank 9, so that a continuous flow of the fluid between the tank and pump may be kept up while the cylinder is temporarily out of service. The branch pipe 39 connected with the cylinder 7 may be provided with a valve 51, allowing the flow of fluid to be cut off from said cylinder independently of the cylinder 6 when desired, as will be readily understood. The adjustability of the weight 50 obviously allows the valve 47 to be set to open and close under any pressure desired, so that the flow of the fluid under any certain pressure to the cylinders, or continuously between the tank and pump may be regulated and controlled to an exact degree. I

In the operation of impregnating a tie or log with creosote or other preservative fluid, the tie is introduced into the cylinder 12 through the doorway 20 until it engages the socket 27 of the piston 15, after which the abutment 14 is moved to closed position. The pump is then set into action, if not already working, and the valves properly opened to admit the preservative fluid into the cavity 32 at a determined pressure, say fifteen hundred pounds to the square inch, whereby the piston 15 will be forced forwardly in the cylinder to clamp the outer end of the tie 13 in the socket 22 of the abutment 14. The valves controlling communication between the pump and chamber 33 of the cylinder are then opened to admit the preservative fluid under a determined pressure, say seven hundred fifty pounds to the square inch, to said chamber and to the cavity 29 of the piston 15 through the ports 31, whereby the entire surface of the tie, eXcept the outer end face exposed at the opening 21, will be directly subjected to the action of the preservative fluid under sufficient pressure to penetrate it, open up and fill its pores, and force out the sap and other resinous matter contained in the tie, the preservative taking the place of these substances, and thus causing the tie to be filled with a preservative without injury to the fiber thereof. The moisture and other substances originally contained in the tie will be partially extracted by the dissolving action of the preservative fluid contained in the chamber 33,.and will be forced out by the pressure of the fluid penetrating the wood, the major portion of the native substances thus expelled, being discharged from the exposed end of the tie and through the opening 21, owing to the fact that such end of the tie is subjected only to normal atmospheric pressure. After the tie has been of the piston 15 clamped by the movement against the abutment 14, the pressure hind said piston may be removed by exhaustingthe fluid pressure from the chamber 32, the pressure of the liquid in the chamber 33 upon the sides and inner end of the tie serving to hold the tie supported and clamped against the abutment 14, as'a result of which action the piston 15 will be retracted or forced backward by the pressure of the fluid and the force of gravity owing to the inclination of the cylinder. The necessity of maintaining fiuid at high pressure in the chamber 22 for any considerable period of time will thus be avoided, and the piston 15 freed for quick retraction, so that when the tie 13 is fully impregnated it may be easily forced backward, the abutment 14 retracted and the treated tie withdrawn from the Outlet 20. Suitable gages 52 and 53 may be provided so that the pressures within the chambers 32 and 33 may at any and all times be determined. At any time when the impregnator is out of service for a certain period, as during emptying and refilling actions, the valves may be closed to cut off communication between the pump and the cylinder, while maintaining communication between the pump and the storage tank for a continuous circulation of the liquid; in order to obviate the necessity of frequently throwing the pump into and out of action. By the structure disclosed, it will be understood that the impregnators at the opposite ends of the platform may be simultaneously or independently open ted, and that by using both at the same time a large number of ties or logs may be creosoted within a given period.

The preservative fluid after use may be allowed to drain or may be pumped back from the cylinder to the storage tank, but

provision is made for draining off the fluid, when adulterated by water or resinous substances, so that the different substances may be separated from each other, the preservative fluid purified for future use and the resinous matter collected for commercial purposes. To this end, a separating tank or drain receptacle 54 is supported by and p0- sitioned beneath the platform 2 immediately beneath each impregnating cylinder, and pipes 55 and 56 having controlling valves 57 and 58 are provided for respectively draining off the contents of the chambers 32 and 33 into the tank 54. A catch box or basin 59 is alsosuitably supported beneath the forward end of the cylinder to catch the sa and resinous matter expelled through the outlet 20 and to permit the same to drain by gravity through an inclined pipe 60 into the receptacle 54. By this means the waste of preservative fluid may be prevented and all resinous substances collected for com mcrcial use.

The green ties or logs to be supplied to the respective impregnators at each end of the car are designed to be loaded upon platforms 61 and 62, disposed at the opposite ends of the car. The platforms 61 may be of any suitable construction and made of any suitable material, while the platforms 62 are preferably made of corrugated sheet metal, or a facing of such metal secured to a suitable frame or backing. Theplatforms 61 are disposed at one Or both sides of the car, as may be required or found feasible in practice, while the platforms 62 are arranged at the ends of the car, and each of these platforms is designed to be rested at its inner end upon the car platform 2 and to be supported at its outer or free end by suitable supporting elements. lln the present instance the platforms 61 are shown as provided with depending supporting legs 68 and the platforms 62 with depending supporting legs 64. The legs 63 may be adapted to rest upon the ground or street surface, while the legs 64 are preferably supported from the track rails 3 and provided with forked lower ends 65 to engage said rails.

The legs of the platform sections may be pivoted thereto to fall against the under side thereof when said platform sections are not in use, so that a large number of said platform sections may be arranged or packed in close compass for storage or transportation in the travelof the apparatus from place to place. lhe platforms 61 are disposed at the sides of the car so that the green ties or legs may be stacked in convenient position to be handled and fed into the impregnators, while the platforms 62 are arranged in a convenient manner to receive the treated ties as they are removed from the impregnators. The platforms 62 are made of channel sheet metal in order to provide for the drainage of the excess preservative fluid therefrom and the preliminary drying out of these ties before they are deposited or unloaded for delivery. To this end, the platforms 62 are arranged to be supported in a downwardly and inwardly inclined position,

so that the fluid will drip from the ties into the channels and thence flow to the platform 2. In practice. as clearly shown in Fig. 2, the upper surface of the car platform 2 is preferably provided with a corrugated sheet metal covering 66, the grooves or channels of which extend longitudinally'and are adapted to receive the fluid draining from the channels of the platforms 62, which fluid will flow inwardly by gravity to a slot 67 formed in the platform above the receptacle 54, and will drain into said receptacle for separation and recovery. In practice, the corrugated surfaces of the platform 2 may incline toward the slot 67 to facilitate the flow of the fluid thereto. and the pipe 60, as shown, may project through the slot 67 for the discharge into the receptacle 54: of the fluid caught by the basin. 59. The platforms 61 may further be provided with channels in order that any water or other fluid draining from the green ties may be carriedoff and discharged into the receptacle 5% if de sired. A short table 68 is provided to be disposed in line with the base of the mouth 20 of each impregnating cylinder, to permit of the convenient introduction and removal of the ties, and this table is provided with rollers 69 over which the ties may be easily slid. A suitable bracket or upright 70 is provided for supporting the platform 68 from the back or platform2, preferably in an inclined position so that the fluid draining from the removed ties or expelled through the mouth 20 will drain from the table down into the basin 59, as will be readily understood. In practice, any suitable number of the side platforms 61 and any number of platforms 62 may be employed, by arranging the platform sections in regular order so as to overlap upon one another at their inner edges, so that provision may be made for supporting any convenient number of green and treated ties.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings, it will be seen that my invention provides a log preserving apparatus in the form of a railway car or traveling vehicle on which one or more impregnators are mounted so as to be conveniently employed for the purpose, and which admits of the impregnators being employed at convenient points where wood or timber is cut or stacked for direct use, thus allowing the timber to be preserved at the point where it is to remain or at a convenient point thereto in order to obviate the labor and expense of shipping the timber one or more times. By the use of an apparatus of the character specified railways or saw mills desiring to treat ties or logs may have the apparatus transported along the track way to the desired point and may carry on the operation upon a branch track or siding without interfering with traflic over the line. A portable plant of this character will be found of maximum advantage and convenience, especially to railroads, since the apparatus may be kept at,

any particular point along the line and sent out to other points where ties are to be treated, with resultant economy in the operation of handling and treating the ties. Other advantages of the invention will be apparent from the foregoing description.

It will, of course, be understood that the motor employed may be of the gas, gasolene or electric type, according to circumstances or requirements.

Having described my inventlon, I claim:

1. A timber preserving apparatus comprisinga platform, impregnators mounted upon opposite ends of the platform, and comprising cylinders inclining in a direction downwardly and inwardly, said cylinders having openings at their outer ends for the insertion and removal of the timber to be treated, means for closing said openings, a source of supply for a preservative tion and removal of the timber to be treated,

means for closing said openn-igs, fluid pressure means within the cylinders for holding 'the timber in position, a source of supply for a preservative fluid mounted upon the platform, conductors for supplying the fluid to the cylinders, and a pump mechanism mounted upon the platform common to said cylinders and the source of supply for forcing the preservative flusidunder a predetermined pressure to said cylinder 3. A timber preserving apparatus comprising a supporting platform, a plurality of impregnators mounted upon the platform, and comprising cylinders. arranged on opposite sides of the transverse center of the platform and having openings at their outer ends facing the opposite ends of the platform, means for closing said openings, a pumping mechanism common to the cylinders and mountedon the platform between the cylinders, a source of supply of'preservative fluid upon the platform, and valve controlled conductors in communication with the cylinders, pumping mechanism and source of fluid supply for forcing the pie servative fluid independently or conjointly to the cylinders, said conductors including means for cutting off communication between either cylinder and the pumping mechanism and returning the excess fluid pumped to the tween the cylinders and the pump, and means automatically operative when communication between the pump and cylinders is cut off for maintaining pumping communication between the pump an source of supply.

5. A timber preserving apparatus including an impregnating cylinder provided with fixed and movable abutments, valved conductors associated with said cylinder for supplying a preservative fluid thereto on opposite sides of the movable albutment, a storage tank for the preservative fluid, a pump, a suction. pipe leading from the tank to the pump, a supply pipe communicating with the pump and connected with the conductors of the impregnating cylinder, a return pipe connected with the supply pipe and tank, and a valve controlling communication between the supply pipe and return pipe and adapted to open under a predetermined pressure in the supply pipe to connect the same with said return pipe.

6. A wood impregnating apparatus comprising an impregnating cylinder, fixed and movable abutments arranged in said cylinder, a delivery pipe connected with the cylinder on opposite sides of the movable abutment, controlling valves in said pipe, a reservoir for preservative fluid, a suction plpe connecting said reservoir with the pump, a supply pipe connecting the pump with the delivery pipe between said valves, a controlling valve in the supply pipe, a return pipe leading from the supply pipe to the tank at a point between said valve and the delivery pipe, a controlling valve in the return pipe, a by-pass pipe connecting the supply pipe with the return pipe between the valves in said pipe and the pump and reservoir respectively, and a pressure controlled valve in the supply pipe normally closed against the by-pass pipe.

7. A timber preserving apparatus including a platform having an opening therein, and a conducting surface for waste fluid leading to said opening, a receiver upon the underside of the platform and communicating with said opening, an impregnator supported upon the platform and having a mouth for the insertion and removal of the timber to be treated, means for closing said mouth, means for supplying a preservative fluid to the receiver, a catch basin disposed beneath the mouth of the receptacle for catching waste preservative fluid emitted therefrom, a conductor leading from said catch basin to the receiver, and valved conducting pipes connecting different portions of the impregnator with the receiver.

8. A wood impregnating apparatus comprising a support, a cylinder mounted upon said support and having a mouth for the insertion and removal of the wood, a lived abutment in the cylinder having an opening movable abutment, a

"prising a plurality of in alinement with said mouth, a movable abutment in the cylinder, means for conducting fluid under pressure to the cylinder on opposite sides of the movable abutment, a receptacle disposed to receive waste fluid emitted through the mouth of the cylinder, a receiver, and a conducting connection between said receptacle and receiver.

9. A wood impregnating apparatus comprising a platform, a cylinder mounted on said platform and having a mouth for the insertion and removal of the wood, a fixed abutment for partially closing said mouth, said abutment having an opening therein to expose one end of the wood under treatment, a movable abutment within the cylinder for clamping the wood against said fixed abutment, means for supplying fluid under pressure to the cylinder on both sides of the table mounted adjacent to the mouth of the cylinder and provided with an anti-friction surface, a receptacle arranged adjacent to said table, a receiver for waste fluid emitted from the mouth of the cylinder, and a conducting means between said receptacle and receiver.

10. A timber preserving apparatus comimpregnators, each embodying a receiver, a movable abutment within each receiver for clamping the timber to lbe treated, a delivery pipe communicating with the cylinder on opposite sides of the movable abutment, said pipe having spaced valves therein, a pump having a discharge outlet, a supply pipe connecting said outlet with the respective delivery pipes at points between the valves therein, said supply pipe having spaced valves,- a storage tank for a preservative fluid, a return pipe connected with the supply pipe on one side of one of the valves therein and leading therefrom to the tank, a bypass pipe connecting the supply pipe on the opposite side of the said valve with the return pipe, and a pressure regulating valve controlling communication between the said supply pipe and the bypass pipe.

11. A timber preserving apparatus comprising a platform, impregnators mounted upon the opposite ends of the platform and having mouths at their outer ends facing the ends of the platform for the insertion and removal of the timber to be treated, means for closing said mouths, movable abutments within the impregnators, a pumping device mounted upon the center of the platform lbetween the impregnators, a supply tank for a preservative fluid mounted upon the platform, and valved conductors connecting the pumping mechanism with the tank and with the inner ends of the impregnators on opposite sides of the movable abutments therein, said conductors being manually governable for independently or conjointly controlling communication between the pump and the respective impregmy signature in the presence of two Wit natore and including means, operative under nesses. excess pressures, for returning the fluid from the pump to the bank when communi- JOHN PARSONS 5 cation 'between either one of The impreg- Witnesses:

nators and the pump is cut off. WILLIAM H. SAVERY,

In testimony whereof I hereunto efix JOHN J. JoLLs. 

